Buffs
This page aims to provide extensive general information on buffs and the way they interact with each other. Each buff also has an individual page on the wiki. Buffs are a game mechanic referring to a positive effect modifying a character's performance that was either self-inflicted or came from an ally. There are offensive buffs and defensive buffs and they come in one of four forms : either permanent (unless spellbroken), amount-related (Shield) or stacks-related. The latter two can, and usually, will be consumed under certain conditions : the consumption is what makes those buffs affect the outcome. The last form is +STR which is special because it directly modifies the character's stats and, as such, doesn't actually appear as a buff. It also cannot be spellbroken. +DMG X This buff simply increases the damage every damaging skill (apart from Shocks) and sword deals by X. It is applied after Powder and before everything else, which makes the synergy with Critical obvious. It is especially strong on multi-hitting skills since the buff will trigger on every single attack. There are a plethora of Damage group-buffers. Examples are Keep-the-Totems Ex, Soul Chewer (better on Demons) or Archmage Anryena (better on Guemelites). +STR X This buff increases the character's strength (sword damage) by X. Since it modifies a stat (strength in this case) and not the attacks themselves, it is applied before everything else, which makes it strong in conjunction with Critical and deadly with Powder stacks. Examples of Strength group-buffers are Ica-Rusty, Master Ma (exclusive to Kotobas) or Captain Al Killicrew (better on Pirates). Critical X This buff grants X Critical stacks. Every damaging skill (apart from Shocks) and sword hits will consume one stack and deal doubled damage. It is applied second to last (only Resilience is applied after it) which makes it very strong with +DMG or +STR, since the benefits become doubled, and absolutely insane with Powder stacks because the damage becomes multiplied by 6. It is also strong on heavy hits in general, and weak on multiple small hits, because each one of them will consume a stack for minimal benefits. The two Critical group-buffers are currently The Liberated Telendar and Archmage Artrezil. Shield X This buff creates a shield which absorbs incoming damage up to X. If an attack is entirely absorbed by shields, it will be considered as having dealt no damage, thus, effects that rely on dealing/taking actual damage like Rage, Berserk, Blessing, Riposte, Resilience, Thorns will not trigger. Other damage modifiers will trigger as usual despite the shield. Examples of Shield group-buffers are Carkasse (better on Mages), Furagu (better on Humans) or Koria Ex. Dodge X This buff grants X Dodge stacks. Every time damage is taken afterwards (apart from Shocks), a stack will be consumed and the damage will get halved. This defensive buff is particularly effective against heavy hits and weak against lots of small attacks that will quickly overwhelm the Dodge stacks. It is applied second to last which makes it somewhat good against +DMG, and since Resilience is applied after it, they have insane synergy : the damage is first halved, then reduced by a fixed amount. The Dodge group-buffers are currently Gemineye (better on Marauders) and Hime (exclusive to Kotobas). Rage X This buff allows the character to increase their strength by X every time they deal damage to their opponent by any means. It can potentially snowball a character out of control and works well both on its own or paired with other offensive buffs. Note that if the opponent takes no actual damage, either because it was absorbed by Shields or reduced to 0 damage through -DMG, -STR (if it's a sword hit) or Resilience, the effect will not trigger, making Shields a powerful counter to Rage. The only Rage group-buffer is currently Melissandre (exclusive to Sap Hearts). Berserk X This buff allows the character to increase their strength by X each time they receive damage, regardless of the amount. It is monstrous against multiple hits but rather weak if the character didn't take enough hits to snowball. It is, all in all, a highly strategic buff that can be played around more or less easily depending on the circumstances. Note that because it requires taking actual damage, it has poor synergy with Shields and damage-reducing effects. The Berserk group-buffers are currently Ursyd (exclusive to Berserkers) and Fenrath (exclusive to beasts). Blessing X This buff allows the character to heal themselves by X every time they deal damage to the opponent. It is very strong along with numerous attacks, since all of them can trigger the effect. It is however, countered by Shields, since an absorbed attack will not heal the character. The Blessing group-buffers are currently Sevylath (exclusive to Priests) and Prince Metchaf (exclusive to Solarians). Riposte X This buff grants X Riposte stacks. Every time the character takes damage from a sword hit, they will retaliate with a counterattack that deals as much damage as their Strength. It is essentially a Sword Hit except that it does not trigger Powder. The Riposte group-buffers are currently Aez, King of Avalonia (exclusive to Avalonians), Wild (exclusive to Zils), and Gakyusha (for all heroes). Resilience X This straightforward buff decreases damage taken from each attack (apart from Shocks), swords hits included, by X. It is applied last, making its synergy with Dodge extremely good, and with Shields, poor. The only Resilience group-buffer is currently Vizir Mahamoud (exclusive to Desert Nomads). Blizzard X This buff is essentially a Shield except that it adds an Ice stack on the opponent every time it absorbs damage, and that it is applied before Dodge - thus they do not work well together. It is also a separate buff, meaning a Spellbreak attack might be less effective against a character who has both Shields and Blizzard. The previous Blizzard group-buffers were Kokrem and Lady Yilith. Note that although everyone can benefit from the protection, only characters with Icy Hits or Icy Heals (Ice Elves and Vixen) will benefit from the generated Ice stacks. This buff has been recently removed from the game following the January 2016 monthly patch. Thorns X This buff allows the character to deal X unmodifiable damage to the opponent each time damage is received. It is strong against multi-hitting heroes, making it a strategical buff. Its synergy with Shields is bad since it requires taking actual damage, and it does not trigger Rage, but does trigger Berserk. The only Thorns group-buffers are currently Death-Tree Ex and The Hailwalker. Stench X This buff allows the user to reduce their opponent's Strength by X each time they (the user) activates a skill. The only users are currently the unobtainable Akra Ex and King Hrimnir. Scarab X This buff converts the next amount of damage you are supposed to receive into a Heal instead for up to X amount of times. The only users are currently Deirf Geis, Soraya Ex, Kararine Ex, and Zehanie Ex. Rune X This buff stocks X amount of Runes onto the user for as many times as the buff is activated. It is a trademark buff of the Runic Legion and also powers up their trademark Runic Skills. The only Rune group-buffer is currently Sapient. Bulwark X This buff grants a shield-like damage barrier that ensures that any damage the user receives does not go beyond X. Because of this, the buff only comes in 3 values depending on when it is activated by a character (390 if first skill, 290 if 2nd, 190 if 3rd). So far only a few Runic Legion heroes have access to this skill.